What Do You Live For?
by cake-error
Summary: "If…you live for others…" she said haltingly, "…when they hate you…what do you live for?" Fem!Germany, post-WWII, angst and forceful Italy. Gerita.


Fem!Germany, post-WWII, angst and forceful Italy. Gerita.

And random question is random, but does anyone ever forget that Germany is one of-no, _the_ youngest country? Germany lost all memories of Holy Roma. So he's youngest, but he's also the most serious because he's got those memories buried deep in his mind after he "died." Interesting conundrum, da?

* * *

Italy appraised her. "Are you okay?"

She looked away from his concerned face. "Sure, I guess. I've been worse." Her dull blue eyes were circled with dark shadows and her limbs were still marked with old wounds, wrists thin and bloody from when she had struggled against the chains that held her.

His voice was serious and quiet. "You look like you should be dead."

She turned and muttered, "It wasn't for lack of trying."

"What?" His voice sounded shocked.

She rubbed her thumb over newer wounds, watched the blood rush to the surface of her skin.

He grabbed her wrists. "What are you doing to yourself?" She flinched away from him, shaking slightly. "Gilbert told me you were fine."

"Teaches you not to believe everything East tells you." She shook her short blonde hair out of her eyes. "It's nothing."

He took her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. Suddenly, she looked much more innocent, azure eyes full of doubt, staring back into his. "Answer the question."

She sucked in a trembling breath. "If…you live for others…" she said haltingly, "…when they hate you…what do you live for?"

"You could have tried to live for me. For your brother." He let her go, and she stumbled backwards, cradling her bleeding wrists. "I'm sorry." She whispered and turned away.

He stood, watching her broken form, the once proud nation reduced to nothing. Quiet tears dropped to the floor, little puddles of salty tears forming on the clean floor. Her thin arms shook.

Hesitatingly, he put his hand on her shoulder. She jerked away as if burned. "Go on." She whispered brokenly. "Leave. Leave, like everyone else has. You can't stand me. I can tell. You all hate me." She backed away, shaking her head slowly.

"No." He spun her around and held her by her shoulders, trying to ignore the quiet gasps of pain. She let her eyes slide closed. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

He tilted her face to his. "Don't be." He murmured, before gently kissing her.

She stiffened, eyes shooting wide open, and opened her mouth in what would have been a gasp if another mouth was not covering hers.

He pulled back, caressing her sallow cheeks. "Ti amo."

She choked out something in broken German. "Ich liebe dich."

He cradled her gently in his arms, stroking her hair. Slim arms wrapped around his waist.

"Thank you…"

* * *

And thank _you_ for reading! *notice the noticeable transition that's actually somewhat witty*

Yup, thank the gracious people who decided to let the entire country have Thanksgiving break off~

Oh, and I got a (very polite) review from someone whose name I can't remember...oh, it was _Luissa_, and she asked some questions that I'm afraid more people will have. I don't want to have to say the same things over and over again, so here we go:

In the other version of this (if you read this right when it was published) I said it was post-unification which confused some people...um, well, Prussia is no longer being tortured by Russia, but they're not quite living in the same house, so that was a complete error on my part.

His voice was serious and quiet. "You look like you should be dead." When I planned this in my head, I loved that one line and its comeback. I was like, _"Oh my God, this is the best dialogue ever for Germany."_ But then it's kind of an insensitive thing for Italy to say, so, you know, it didn't make much sense. Believe me, it sounded much better up here. *taps head*

_"You could have tried to live for me. For your brother."_ Obviously she didn't die, so this might make no sense. But in this story we're assuming she stopped trying to live and kind of beat herself up over everything, so that's kind of like she stopped trying to live...

If you enjoyed this, then I'm happy you did. If not, I'm sorry you feel that way. Reviews are loved and will be responded to as soon as possible.


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